1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a release rod apparatus for releasing a locking mechanism and, particularly, to a release rod for releasing the main locking mechanism of a parking brake control.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A typical parking brake control is a locking mechanism using an operating lever to give mechanical advantage to a human operator. Such controls are designed to be operated either by hand or by foot.
The typical release rod for a hand operated parking brake control is stamped from metal. A soft plastic button is typically molded to one end as the interface with the human operator. The molded button is an extra part and requires at least one extra manufacturing process to make.
The other end of the release rod is adapted to connect with the locking mechanism. In a control which uses a ratchet and pawl as the main locking mechanism, the release rod is connected to the pawl. Typically, the pawl has a raised circular portion at one end that fits into a hole in the end of the release rod. Once installed, both pawl and release rod may rattle.
Such a design does not give rise to a release rod and pawl subassembly that stays together for shipping or storage.
Such a design also does not lend itself to molding a release rod out of the type of soft plastic, such as polypropylene, used to make the button. This is because such a release rod transfers force to the pawl not coplanarly, but in parallel planes. The main body of the release rod is in a plane parallel to that of the main body of the pawl, connected by the circular raised portion of the pawl. Such noncoplanar transfer of force would tear through the end of such a rod made from soft plastic.